People are baffled Julia Fox chooses to be celibate. The data shows she's not alone.

Julia Fox has made an unexpected admission about her sex life: she doesn't have one. The model, actress and curator of cool has shared that she's been celibate for more than two years.

The revelation came via a comment on a TikTok video. In the clip, user @ferociouskatie shared a controversial campaign from dating app Bumble, which has appeared on billboards around major cities in the US. The campaigns read, "A vow of celibacy is not the answer," which has been poorly received online.

"Imagine pretending to be a Dating App FOR WOMEN and launching a million dollar ad campaign BLAMING WOMEN for a very normal reaction to men's violence," the caption of TikTok post read.

Fox commented under the post, writing "2.5 years of celibacy and never been better tbh." 

Cue countless headlines with every news website running stories to stoke the fires of internet outrage. 

The Uncut Gems actress has been transparent about her past sexual encounters with men, including detailing her period working as a dominatrix in her 2023 memoir, Down the Drain.

Along with her acting work, Fox is best known for her high-profile romance with Kanye West in January 2022. For anyone marginally skilled at maths, it's clear that, according to Fox's timeline, this would mean she was celibate when they dated.

While promoting her memoir, Fox confirmed in a chat to the New York Times that the reason she didn't discuss her sex life with the rapper in the book was because "there wasn't any".

Julia Fox. Image: Getty.

Some have been confused by Fox's admission that she's become celibate, but the positive response to the comment from other women on TikTok suggests she's not alone.

"Same! Truly have never been happy and more peaceful in body mind and spirit. It's wild how men destroy our peace," wrote one comment.

"Celibacy and decentering men is life-changing," another added.

In recent years, there's been a rising popularity in embracing celibacy on TikTok. A community has started referring to themselves as 'volcels', which was a play on the incel label embraced by men claiming they involuntarily celibate — but in the case of these TikTokers, they were doing voluntary celibacy.

The trend shows little sign of slowing down among the younger generations online. In January, there was a 90 percent increase in people Google searching the word 'celibacy'. A 2021 survey by the Kinsey Institute and Lovehoney found that one in four Gen Z people (anyone born between 1997 and 2012) have never engaged in partnered sex.

This echoed findings from back in 2019, when the ABC found in their nationwide survey, Australia Talks, that 40 per cent of adults aged 18 to 24 had never had a sexual experience; and 37 per cent said they only had sex once a month.

Back in 2021, Mamamia (that's us!) conducted our own research, surveying 1,000 single women from a range of age brackets about their sex lives. The results found that the majority of women (38.3 per cent) surveyed weren't having any sex at all, while the second most popular response (15.6 per cent) was from women who reported having sex five to 11 times per year.

So clearly, Julia Fox's sex life pivot is not outside of the norm — celibacy is a part of life for many people.

@charity.joybee Since you all liked my other post here’s another 💛😘 #celibat #celibacy #single #healing #innerhealing #sacredspace #selflove #energyspeaks #energytransfers #energyvampires #selflovejourney ♬ Sail - AWOLNATION

The reason for this can come down to multiple factors. Some have embraced celibacy as a way to quiet their mind, increase focus and lower stress and anxiety. Many women, especially on TikTok, have cited 'hookup culture' as the cause, lamenting the ease of swiping on dating apps leading to transactional sex and one-night stands.

A 2020 study by the Women's Health Research Program at Monash University found 50 per cent of women aged 18 to 39 had experienced sexually related personal distress, which meant they felt embarrassed, stressed, guilty or unhappy about their sex lives.

From these respondents, 20 per cent said this led to sexual dysfunction, with the most common being low sexual self-image.

But aside from these pressing issues, the cost-of-living crisis also plays a major role in whether young people are having sex or not. The rising economic pressures have meant that Gen Z are living with their parents even longer, making celibacy an easier option than the awkward vibes of having sex with one or both parents in the next room. 

And for the people who can afford to live out of home, they're not always moving in with partners. According to Census figures from 2021, which presented a change in the living structures of Australians, more people are increasingly choosing to live alone. 

The Census found that one in four households is now occupied by only one person.

Whether you're having sex or not, this should be a judgement-free zone.  And if anyone is going to set a new trend, it's Julia Fox.

Feature image: Getty/TikTok.